Protester found not guilty of assault despite top Border Patrol official's testimony

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA
Protester found not guilty of assault despite top Border Patrol official's testimony


Gregory Bovino speaks to reporters Aug. 14 after U.S. Border Patrol agents gathered outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a news conference. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

By Brittny Mejia and James Queally
Sept. 17, 2025 Updated 3:19 PM PT

* Protests across Los Angeles this summer led to charges against multiple people accused of assaulting or impeding federal immigration agents.
* A misdemeanor assault case against Brayan Ramos-Brito was the first to go to trial.

A protester was acquitted Wednesday of charges that he assaulted a federal agent during widespread protests against immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles, just hours after one of the faces of President Trump's enforcement policies took the stand to testify against him.

U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino -- the brash agent who led a phalanx of military personnel into MacArthur Park this summer -- was called as a witness Wednesday in a federal misdemeanor assault case against Brayan Ramos-Brito, who was accused of striking a federal agent.

Bovino, who flew in to testify from Chicago, the latest city targeted for an immigration enforcement surge, said he witnessed the alleged assault committed by Ramos-Brito in Paramount on June 7. … Bovino was questioned by the defense about previous comments he made referring to undocumented immigrants as "scum." … The jury came back with the acquittal after a little over an hour of deliberations.

The case could prove to be an ominous bellwether for embattled acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, who has struggled to win indictments against those charged with committing crimes while protesting aggressive immigration enforcement in Southern California.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-17/immigration-protest-case-trial-los-angeles

[Grins]

1. Why? Citizens have lost faith in government.

Hating (may be the better word) the government. Across the board.

And this case, like the failure of Jeanine Pirro to get an indictment of the sandwich-tosser in DC, is just another example.

[Prairie Gates]

2. When the branches of government fail, when the judiciary collapses, when the institutions fall

The last redoubt is the people, in the form of juries. One person of conscience can hang a jury. Twelve people of conscience can reject the fascists' charges. Jury nullification is tactic, and may soon be the only remaining tactic.

[SunSeeker]

3. The jury correctly found Bovino to be a liar. nt

[charliea]

4. Yeah! Excellent News.

I don't know if video was involved but it sure looks like the jury didn't give any deference to the testimony of a "U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief". Once his sterling past comments were displayed his credibility apparently evaporated.

I wasn't sure from the post, and the link provided required a subscription, but if this is the first of the surviving cases from Essayli's flurry of felony assault charges slapped on protestors during the protests it doesn't look like TSF will be well pleased. Someone originally charged with felony assault, reduced to misdemeanor to get an indictment, has all charges dropped with jury deliberation lasting as long as a comfortable working lunch. If, as I hope, the rest of the remaining cases share the same outcome, who will TSF blame? His interim prosecutor, the judges, the grand juries, or each and every member of the juries who won't convict fellow citizens on some trumped-up (ha!) charges?

As an addendum let's remember Mr. Essayli's other recent activities of note:
1) violated protocol by meeting a client's defense lawyers without prosecutors present.
2) tried (succeeded?) to drop fraud charges against Andrew Wiederhorn founder of FAT Brands, accused of swindling millions. Who is a donor to TSF it seems.
3) Lastly his very position as US attorney is currently under judicial review as his acting/interim appointment conflict is being challenged just like Alina Habba's was. Federal defense lawyers claim his position terminated at the end of July.

so Republican.

[oasis]

5. Long plane ride back to Chicago. Rejected!